The Story of Joseph (part 2 of 7)
- Categories: Stories of the Prophets -
{And Allah has full power and
control over His Affairs, but most of men know not.} [Quran
12:21]
{وَاللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰ أَمْرِهِ
وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ}
[يوسف:٢١]
Transliteration: Wa Allāhu Ghālibun `Alá
'Amrihi Wa Lakinna 'Akthara An-Nāsi Lā Ya`lamūna
The story of Joseph confirms unconditionally that God has total
control over all affairs. The treachery and deception of Joseph's
brothers succeeded only in preparing Joseph for the great position
he would eventually attain. Joseph's story describes God's
omnipotence and gives an accurate account of His power and
supremacy. The story begins with deception but ends with comfort
and joy. A fitting reward for the patience and total submission to
God's will, Joseph exhibits throughout his long journey confronting
the schemes and treachery of those around him.
The patience Joseph learned from his ordeal made him amongst the
most righteous of men. His lineage was impeccable, his great
grandfather, grandfather and father were also Prophets. In
Christian and Jewish tradition, these men are known as Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob.
Deception and
Treachery
When Jacob's older sons sought permission to take Joseph with them
deep into the desert to play, fear leapt into Jacob's heart. From
their first words, he suspected treachery and expressed his fear
that a wolf would take Joseph. Jacob said,
{Truly, it saddens me that you should
take him away. I fear lest a wolf should devour him, whilst you are
careless of him.} [Quran 12:13]
{قَالَ إِنِّي لَيَحْزُنُنِي أَن
تَذْهَبُوا بِهِ وَأَخَافُ أَن يَأْكُلَهُ الذِّئْبُ وَأَنتُمْ عَنْهُ
غَافِلُونَ} [يوسف:١٣]
Transliteration: Qāla 'Innī Layaĥzununī 'An
Tadh/habū Bihi Wa 'Akhāfu 'An Ya'kulahu Adh-Dhi'bu Wa 'Antum `Anhu
Ghāfilūna
Satan works in subtle and deceitful ways, and with his words, Jacob
unwittingly supplied his sons with the perfect reason for Joseph's
disappearance. The brothers immediately knew they would blame
Joseph's disappearance on a wolf, and this became part of their
dastardly plan. Eventually Jacob agreed and Joseph left with his
brothers on their journey into the desert.
They went directly to the well and without remorse, picked up
Joseph and threw him down into the well. Joseph cried out in fear
but their cruel hearts felt no pity for their young brother. The
brothers felt secure in their plan that a traveller would find
Joseph and sell him into slavery. While Joseph called out in
terror, the brothers took a small goat or sheep from their flock,
slaughtered it and wiped the blood over one of Joseph's garments.
Completely consumed by their jealousy, the brothers took an oath to
keep their foul deed secret and walked away pleased with
themselves. Terrified Joseph clung to a ledge in the well, and God
made known to him that one day he would confront his brothers. He
told Joseph the day would come when he would speak to his brothers
about this dastardly event, but the brothers would not know they
were talking to Joseph.
{Indeed, you shall (one day) inform
them of this their affair, when they know (you) not.} [Quran
12:15]
{وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْهِ
لَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُم بِأَمْرِهِمْ هَٰذَا وَهُمْ لَا
يَشْعُرُونَ} [يوسف:١٥]
Transliteration: Wa 'Awĥaynā 'Ilayhi
Latunabbi'annahum Bi'amrihim Hādhā Wa Hum Lā
Yash`urūna
Crying is not Evidence of
Truth.
The brothers returned to their father weeping. By this time it was
dark, and Jacob was sitting in his house anxiously awaiting the
return of Joseph. The sound of ten men crying confirmed his deepest
fear. The darkness of the night was matched only be the darkness in
their hearts. The lies rolled easily from their tongues and Jacob's
heart constricted in fear.
{They said, 'O our father! We went
racing with one another, and left Joseph by our belongings and a
wolf devoured him; but you will never believe us, even when we
speak the truth.' And they brought his shirt stained with false
blood.} [Quran 12:17-18]
{قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا إِنَّا ذَهَبْنَا
نَسْتَبِقُ وَتَرَكْنَا يُوسُفَ عِندَ مَتَاعِنَا فَأَكَلَهُ
الذِّئْبُ ۖ وَمَا أَنتَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ لَّنَا وَلَوْ كُنَّا صَادِقِينَ
﴿١٧﴾ وَجَاءُوا عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ
كَذِبٍ} [يوسف:17-١٨]
Transliteration: Qālū Yā 'Abānā 'Innā Dhahabnā
Nastabiqu Wa Taraknā Yūsufa `Inda Matā`inā Fa'akalahu Adh-Dhi'bu Wa
Mā 'Anta Bimu'uminin Lanā Wa Law Kunnā Şādiqīna (17) Wa Jā'ū
`Alá Qamīşihi Bidamin Kadhibin
In a story from the righteous men that came after Prophet Muhammad
comes a tale of a Muslim judge who was deciding the case of an old
woman. The details of the case are not important; however, the old
woman was crying and crying. Based on the evidence the judge ruled
against her. A friend of the judge said, "She was crying and
crying, she is old, why didn't you believe her?" The judge said
"Don't you know from Quran that crying is not evidence of the
truth, the brothers of Joseph went to their father crying." They
were crying but they committed the crime.
Both Jacob and Joseph were among the most noble of men. Prophet
Muhammad described Joseph as the most dignified and generous of
men. When asked who was the most God fearing man he replied, «The most honourable person is Joseph, God's
prophet, the son of God's prophet, the son of the beloved servant
of God (Abraham).»[1]
While Joseph sat in the well, terrified, yet secure in his
submission to God, Jacob, many miles way, felt his heart
constricted by fear and pain yet knew his sons were lying. As
befitting a Prophet of God, with tears streaming down his face,
Jacob said,
{Nay, but your own selves have made up
a tale. So (for me) patience is most fitting. And it is God (Alone)
Whose help can be sought against that which you assert.}
[Quran 12:18]
{قَالَ بَلْ سَوَّلَتْ لَكُمْ
أَنفُسُكُمْ أَمْرًا ۖ فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ ۖ وَاللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ
عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ} [يوسف:١٨]
Transliteration: Qāla Bal Sawwalat Lakum 'Anfusukum
'Amrāan Faşabrun Jamīlun Wa Allāhu Al-Musta`ānu `Alá Mā
Taşifūna
This was a dilemma for Jacob, what was he to do? He knew his sons
were lying, but what were his options? To kill his sons? Due to his
complete submission to God, Jacob knew that this affair was out of
his hands. He had no option but to trust God and turn to Him with
hope and patience.
Deep in the well, Joseph prayed. Father and son turned to God in
the deep darkness of the night. A mixture of fear and hope filled
their hearts, and the night gave way to the new day. For Jacob, the
day dawned on the beginning of many years to be filled with trust
in God and patience. For Joseph, the sunrays of dawn shone down on
the edges of the well. If he could have scanned the horizon, he
would have seen a caravan approaching. Minutes later a man lowered
his bucket into its depths of the well expecting to find cool clear
water.
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Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari.
By Aisha Stacey
IslamReligion.com